Mirrored Image
by Meridith4132
Summary: Crazy long hiatus equals  crazy AU fic ideas. I'm taking it waaaaaaaay back and re-writing who was spying on who... My take on what would have happened if Blaine had gone to McKinley instead.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This hiatus is doing crazy things to my brain. With all the AU fic swirling around and talk of Kurt going back to McKinley, I decided to try my own hand at Blaine at McKinley. I just rewound the time turner a little further… I have no idea where this is going, so give me feedback.

I don't own Glee, etc.

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><p><strong>Mirrored Image<strong>

Chapter 1

"Absolutely not."

Wes and David glanced at each other, doing that silent council conference that had started to become a warning sign of yet another plot-that-could-only-end-badly.

Blaine crossed his arms. "NO."

"Well, none of us can do it. Plausible deniability and all that," Thad said, as if that explanation made the idea less crazy.

"I am NOT doing it for you."

"Its not for US. Its for all of the Warblers," wheedled David.

"Preparation is key," nodded Wes sagely.

Blaine opened his mouth to protest again just as his phone beeped. Sending another glare at the three senior members, he slipped his phone part way out of his pocket to read the screen. "1126 Main Street?"

Thad grinned, slipping his own phone quietly back in his pocket. "The address to McKinley High School."

"This is insane. I'm NOT going to go spy on another school's glee club!"

* * *

><p><em>I can't believe I'm here to spy on another school's glee club.<em>

Blaine sat sullenly in his car and watched the parade of students go by, some settling into clumps on the grass, some heading out to the sports fields.

"This is insane," he repeated to himself. He hadn't really wanted to use it as an excuse, but public schools automatically set his nerves on edge. His brain couldn't help but flash back to darker memories, before he had enrolled at Dalton, memories of malicious laughter and echoing voices.

_Stop it_… Blaine opened his door and slid out of his car before he could change his mind. Slinging David's backpack over his shoulder (his own messenger bag had been deemed too "prep school" and therefore inappropriate), he made his way through the parking lot to the front entrance.

As he entered, he immediately collided with about half a dozen people all rushing in different directions. Loud voices and laughter swirled around him in a hectic maelstrom as he pinballed his way down the hall. Blaine hugged the wall in an attempt to get out of the flow of traffic and looked around for someone to ask directions from.

No one even looked his way. Just by standing in one spot, he could see every high school clichéd group in action. Nerdy guys with glasses walked quickly by in pairs, hugging textbooks and avoiding eye contact. Pretty girls with high ponytails in cheerleading uniforms walked three across down the very center of the hallway, crowds parting automatically for them. Two burly looking guys in varsity jackets came around the corner, and Blaine automatically felt the urge to move away.

Before he could even process an escape plan, one of the guys reached out and bodily shoved a passing student into the locker right next to where Blaine stood clutching the strap of his backpack. They laughed and high fived each other as they continued down the hallway, not even sparing a backward glance.

"Are you ok?" Blaine said, offering a hand down to the boy.

"I'm fine," he muttered in an unexpectedly pitched voice. He looked at Blaine's hand warily for a moment, before accepting it and getting to his feet.

Blaine could see why this kid got picked on. Tailored clothes, that voice, the telltale corner of sheet music sticking out of his binder… he wasn't trying to hide anything. _Brave_, Blaine thought. It also made him incredibly afraid for him.

Without thinking, Blaine stuck his hand out again. "I'm Blaine."

"You're new," the boy replied, not asking a question.

"Not exactly," Blaine hedged. A fake backstory had not been in the plans. Actually holding a conversation hadn't really been either. "I'm uh-thinking of transferring, so I'm just, checking it out," he finished lamely.

An awkward pause went by. Finally the boy extended his hand as well, clasping Blaine's hand a second time. "Kurt Hummel."


	2. Chapter 2

**Mirrored Image**

Chapter 2

Blaine smiled as he shook Kurt's hand. "Blaine Anderson." Kurt's returning smile was polite, almost wary.

"Who was that guy?" Blaine asked, breaking the silence.

Kurt's eyes shifted away. "Just some Neanderthal who has made it his mission to make my life a living hell. Its nothing." He shifted his bag higher on his shoulder, and turned to open his locker.

"It doesn't really look like nothing," Blaine pressed.

Kurt didn't look at him. "You wouldn't understand." He pulled a few books out of his bag and put them away in his locker, replacing them with others.

"I do. More than you might think," Blaine said quietly.

Kurt shut his locker with a bang. "I'm probably the wrong person to ask if you're looking for an opinion of McKinley High. As the only openly gay kid here, well, let's just say I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."

"Especially another gay kid?"

Kurt's expression changed, registering surprise and more than a little pain. "Especially then. It's torture. And no one seems to notice."

"I know what that feels like. At my old school… nobody cared what was happening to me either. Leaving that place felt like an escape," Blaine said, shoving his hands awkwardly into his pockets. Students continued to pass them in the hallway, not paying any attention to what felt to Blaine like one of the most significant conversations he had had in the past year.

"I wish I could escape this place." Kurt looked away again, and Blaine's heart broke a little.

"Dalton Academy," Blaine blurted out. "They have a zero-tolerance bullying policy. My parents want me to go there." _What are you DOING?_ cried the voice in his head, sounding suspiciously like Wes.

Kurt frowned. "That's a private school, right? Why would you even consider McKinley if you have the chance to go somewhere else?"

"Maybe…" Blaine faltered for a moment, caught between wanting to just tell the truth and wanting to keep whatever this moment he had going with Kurt. "Maybe I hoped McKinley would be different? Maybe I was trying to tell myself not to be such a coward, convince myself I wasn't running away."

"You're not a coward for wanting to get away from people who hate you for being who you are," Kurt replied.

"You're really brave, you know that?" Blaine said honestly. Kurt looked like he wanted to disagree, but Blaine pushed on. "No, really. I played the part, I hid. Played every sport I could, did my best to stay under the radar. Then I discovered I could sing, and I tried out for the school musical… and well, it was kind of downhill from there."

"You sing?" Kurt's interest had definitely been sparked. Blaine glanced back at the folder of sheet music in Kurt's arm. Of course he had to be on New Directions.

"Yeah," Blaine said cautiously. He was veering back toward his original goal, but strangely finding himself unwilling to actually carry the spy plan through. He hadn't meant to tell Kurt so much about his past, it was more detail than even Wes and David knew about him. He felt strangely attached to Kurt already, protective. Blaine already felt guilty, and he hadn't even learned any real information about the rival club.

"Then maybe you shouldn't completely write off McKinley," Kurt said with a glimmer of a genuine smile. "I'm actually on my way to Glee Club, I bet Mr. Schuester would allow a guest who was considering transferring to McKinley to come watch."

"I… I actually have to get home," Blaine said slowly. "Maybe another time?"

"Of course," Kurt replied, the smile fading slightly. Blaine's internal Wes voice was completely spazzing out. The disappointment was plain on the other boy's face, and Blaine was already kicking himself for declining. Nothing about this felt right, and he frantically tried to think of a way to salvage the situation.

"Maybe I could visit again, like at lunch? Thursday?" Blaine asked hopefully, feeling his face flush slightly.

"Sure."

"Ok." Blaine had never felt so awkward in his life, and for him, that was really saying something. He reached into his bag, fumbling around for a moment before pulling out a pen and ripping the corner of a page out of a notebook. He scribbled on it quickly, before holding it out to Kurt. "I guess just text me when your lunch starts that day."

Kurt took the small piece of paper, unsuccessfully trying to hold back a smile. Before he could say anything, the bell rang, and the flow of students started to move faster as the hallway began to empty. "I have to go," Kurt said, taking a step away.

The two boys stood awkwardly for another moment before Kurt finally turned to start heading down the hallway.

"It was nice to meet you, Kurt," Blaine called after him. Kurt turned around halfway, acknowledging him with a smile and a nod before disappearing.

Blaine looked around at the nearly empty hallway. "Wow, I really suck at this spying thing."

* * *

><p>Blaine rushed into Warbler practice at the last second, purposely arriving too late to be cornered by any of the council members. He could feel their eyes on him, but knew they wouldn't say anything in front of the group, since they hadn't bothered to really get the entire group's approval for the spy plan in the first place.<p>

Wes rapped his gavel, and silence fell over the room. Turning the floor over to Thad, discussion shifted to an upcoming alumni performance and song selection. Blaine tuned it out, his mind still back in the hallway at McKinley with Kurt. Everything about what Kurt was going through dredged up awful memories, and watching Kurt soldier through what Blaine had been unable to withstand was difficult to say the least. He had wanted to offer the other boy some kind of hope or comfort in the face of the abuse he was suffering, and instead found himself feeling like the one who was still trapped, the person he had been before Dalton, and Kurt embodying the type of person Blaine wished he could have been. Confident and unafraid, even if it meant dealing with the bullying and harassment. He doubted he himself could really be that strong in Kurt's situation, and he admired the other boy all the more for it.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he saw the new text that had popped up from an unsaved number.

"It was nice to meet you too. –Kurt"

Blaine smiled, and typed a quick response. "See you Thursday " He hit send, then saved Kurt's number.

"BLAINE."

He jumped at the tone of Wes' voice, and quickly became aware of the quiet in the room and the eyes of the Warblers on him. "Sorry, what?"

"We were asking if you had a preference as to which of your solos would be included for the Alumni night performance."

Blaine put his phone away, and let himself get pulled back into the discussion, trying to suppress the goofy smile that was threatening to emerge in response to Kurt's one little text. Somehow, he managed to pass the rest of the hour without incident, even resisting the urge to check his phone again when he felt it vibrate. As soon as the meeting was called to an end, he was on his feet, but he wasn't fast enough.

"A moment, Blaine?" Thad's voice halted him.

Groaning internally, Blaine stopped and trudged up to the council table, where Wes and Thad were still glaring, and David looked like he was trying not to laugh. They waited until the last of the other Warblers had departed before speaking.

"So…?" David asked.

Blaine swallowed. "I kind of got sidetracked?"

"You've been distracted all day. I assume something happened at McKinley?" Thad said, crossing his arms.

"Sort of. I did meet one of the members of New Directions, and got invited to a rehearsal. I'm actually going back on Thursday," Blaine said, glossing over the details hurriedly.

Wes and David glanced at each other, Wes looking significantly less murderous. "Not bad," he admitted. "We'll expect a full report of course."

Blaine nodded, doing his best to look serious. "Of course." Talking to them while they were in council mode always felt a bit like being in the principal's office. "I'm just going to, er, go now…" Blaine fled before they could ask any more questions.

As soon as he was out of sight, he pulled out his phone again.

"Meet me at my locker at 12:30. –Kurt"

This time Blaine didn't suppress the goofy smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Mirrored Image**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

This time when Blaine pulled into the McKinley parking lot, he hopped out of the car right away, not bothering with the fake backpack, just pocketing his keys and pulling out his phone to see if Kurt had texted him. He hadn't heard anything from Kurt since their quick exchange on Tuesday, and Blaine had gotten in his car to come here today feeling a little like the whole thing hadn't really happened.

He had no new messages, so he walked right up to the front doors of McKinley at 12:30 on the dot, the bell ringing as soon as he stepped through the entrance. He was prepared this time for the wave of human bodies that flooded the hallway, sidestepping and weaving much more confidently through the traffic all the way to where he remembered Kurt's locker to be.

Kurt wasn't there. Blaine waited about a minute before sending off a quick message.

"At your locker."

The phone buzzed less than a minute later. "Walk toward the trophy case and turn right. Room 302."

Following Kurt's directions, Blaine found himself in what was obviously a choir or music room. Kurt was sitting by himself in one of the chairs, but stood up as soon as Blaine entered. Something like relief washed across his face. "Hey."

Blaine did his best not to grin like an idiot. He didn't think he was entirely successful. Kurt was wearing a beautifully tailored dark blue coat that accentuated his slender frame, and Blaine sighed internally. He developed crushes way too easily. Usually on the most inconvenient person possible.

"So do you think I could pass for a McKinley student at the cafeteria?" Blaine said jokingly, glancing down at his best imitation of a public school student. He had spent an embarrassingly long time picking out a neutral "everyday teenager" outfit. The Dalton uniform had made him lazy, and he had run the dark jeans and nondescript grey t-shirt by David before actually leaving Dalton grounds.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping we could go off campus," Kurt said, a little too casually. He started to lead Blaine out the door, but something seemed off. Kurt was distracted, almost skittish, and he glanced into the hallway before proceeding. Had Blaine not been quite so focused on him, he probably wouldn't even have noticed.

"Hey, is something the matter?" Blaine asked hesitantly. "You're kind of… jumpy."

"I'm fine," Kurt said quickly. He looked back at Blaine, and it was painfully obvious that it was a lie. "Let's just go."

The pair started off down the hall, Blaine watching Kurt out of the corner of his eye. He felt fiercely protective of Kurt, but was unsure of how much to push to get him to open up. Their friendship was still new, and to be honest, Blaine felt a little nervous around the other boy.

Kurt's phone rang before they made it to the parking lot. "Sorry," muttered Kurt, as he answered it. "Mercedes, I told you I wouldn't be out for lunch today… what? No, I need those notes back, I have that test _before_ European history. FINE, I'll come get them now." He stabbed the end button with an angry thumb. "Quick detour?"

"Sure," Blaine agreed readily. "Now I'll get to see more of McKinley than just your locker and the choir room."

Kurt smiled tightly, pulling the strap of his bag higher. "Well, right this way, then."

Blaine followed Kurt as he led them back away from the front exit and towards the cafeteria. A few students passed the in the hallway, but for the most part it seemed like the majority of the student body was out on the grass or in the cafeteria. Kurt scanned the room quickly, and huffed in irritation. "I think she's outside." He started off faster now, impatience winning out over his earlier cautious movement.

As he pushed through a double door, Blaine felt a cool rush of air hit his face as they hit an outside stairwell. They looked down on where it seemed the majority of the school was spending their lunch hour, lounging around below on the cement stairs and grouped around tables. Blaine was so distracted by the unfamiliarity of it all that he pretty much crashed into Kurt when he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hey, lady boy."

The large jock that had shoved Kurt the first time Blaine had met him was sneering up at them. Gone was the resigned irritated expression that Kurt had worn after the previous attack, instead he looked almost… afraid?

Blaine felt a curl of anger in his chest. He knew that look, he knew exactly what it felt to be afraid of these kinds of guys. He edged his way around Kurt, breaking the tense line of sight between Karofsky and Kurt. "C'mon, lets go."

Karofsky gave him a cursory once-over. "This your boyfriend, Kurt?" He drew out the word mockingly.

"So what if I was?" snapped Blaine. "Jealous?"

There was a split second of the fury building in Karofsky's eyes before he grabbed handfuls of Blaine's shirt and pushed him backward. "Do not mess with me," he snarled right in his face. Blaine raised his hands reflexively as his back hit the wire. Heart pounding, he forced himself to keep eye contact, staring down Karofsky. Kurt intervened, grabbing the heavier guy's jacket and pulling him off of Blaine.

"You have to stop this!"

Karofsky stared at Kurt, who was now clutching the strap of his bag like a lifeline but still standing in front of Blaine. Something about the way his eyes flickered over to Blaine then back to Kurt bothered Blaine. Finally Karofsky turned and walked away from them both and out of sight.

"Well that went well," Blaine said, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice as he straightened his shirt. Kurt didn't say anything, just set his bag down and sat down heavily on the stairs.

Blaine sat next to him. "Hey, you ok?"

"Of all things to say to him… he probably thinks I've told you."

"Told me what?"

Kurt hesitated. "After you were here last time, I kept thinking about what you said, how you thought I was brave. I don't usually feel brave, just like a scared little kid." He stared down at his hands, worrying at strap of his bag. "So when he pushed me into the lockers yesterday, I tried to do something about it. Tried to be brave. I followed him into the locker room, and I yelled at him. I swear I thought he was going to hit me, and I almost wanted him to, that would have been better. Then at least I would have had proof."

Blaine felt a sick feeling pooling in his stomach as he waited for the hammer to drop. He also felt the urge to run after Karofsky and hit him, for all the good it would do.

"He kissed me."

"Oh." Of all the directions that Blaine had expected this go to, this definitely was not it. "That could explain his harassing you. Maybe… he can't come to terms with himself, and he takes it out on you. Not that it makes it ok, but I'm just glad he didn't actually hurt you."

Kurt didn't look reassured. "Up until yesterday, I'd never been kissed. At least, not one that counted."

Blaine swallowed. Right then, all things considered, offering to give Kurt a real first kiss seemed rather inappropriate. Instead, he settled for gently nudging Kurt's shoulder. "C'mon we still have our lunch, right? My treat."

"I don't think I'm really hungry," Kurt said morosely.

"How about coffee then?"

Kurt glanced over and took in Blaine's hopeful expression. The corner of his mouth twitched up in a small smile, and he nodded. "Sure."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I am so sorry this took so long… every time I wanted to write I got distracted or busy with something else. Silly RL getting in the way of fic writing. :) Whats reeeeeally spurring me on is that I've already written the part where the truth comes out, and I love it, but I have to write the in between first. Soooo… yeah. Its coming, I promise.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I meant to have this up before the weekend, but I've been re-writing bits and pieces every time I try to post it… I finally stopped, since I reeeeally want to get the next two chapters up before tomorrow's ep airs and I go brain-dead from joy. So yeah, look for at least Ch. 5 later today…

PS Follow me at tumblr! .com

**Mirrored Image**

Chapter 4

Blaine refused to call them dates. Well, out loud anyway. After that day out on the staircase, something in Kurt seemed to shift a little bit, and he started to open up more and more. That first non-date at the coffee shop opened up a line of casual texting, which soon progressed to casual phone calls, which lead to a second coffee non-date. So when his grandparents, who donated a considerable amount of money to the arts, give him their donor seats to the local production of _Rent_, his first impulse was of course to invite Kurt.

"What is this?" Kurt said curiously, taking the proffered envelope from Blaine's hand.

"Open it," Blaine said, casually taking a sip of his medium drip.

He grinned when he saw Kurt's eyes widen. "_Rent_? Really?" Kurt's face had broken into a huge smile, probably one of the biggest yet he had seen from him, and Blaine felt a warm glow in his chest.

"These are amazing seats!" Kurt was studying the cardstock paper like it was a treasure map. His smile faltered just a little as he saw the date.

"What? What's wrong?" Blaine asked, his own smile dimming.

"These are great, and I am really excited, I just feel bad. I was supposed to spend time with Mercedes… its fine, we'll hang out on Saturday instead." Kurt pulled out his phone to start texting.

Blaine bit his lip. "I'm sorry, I should have asked if you had plans before getting them. Listen, I got them because I thought you'd like it… why don't you take Mercedes."

"But I want to see it with you," blurted Kurt, a blush immediately blossoming on his fair skin. He ducked his head quickly to avoid Blaine's eyes. "I mean—its very nice of you to offer, but I don't want you to miss it either."

Blaine raised his cup to his lips to hide his own smile. He had meant the offer, but was secretly a little relieved by Kurt's response. His own phone buzzed in his pocket, and Blaine pulled it out to glance at the screen.

"2 missed calls. 1 new message." _Crap_, Blaine thought, seeing the time. Both calls were from David, followed by a "do you know what time it is?" text from Wes. He stood up quickly, wincing as he gulped down the rest of his coffee too fast, the hot liquid burning down his throat.

"Sorry, I have to go, promised I'd meet my… dad," Blaine said, throwing the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder. "I'll call you though, we'll work out the details."

Kurt looked a little surprised at his hasty departure, but smiled. "Ok."

Trying not to look like he was rushing TOO much, Blaine made a beeline for his car, chucking his bag into the passenger seat and typing out a quick "on my way" response to Wes.

* * *

><p>The following week once again found Blaine rushing to Warbler practice late.<p>

"It was SO much fun, you have no idea!"

Blaine grinned, picturing the expression that was probably lighting up Kurt's face as he chattered on.

"I mean, we didn't really get any work done on anything for Sectionals, but I think we all needed the stress relief."

"Wow, really? You still have no idea what you guys are doing? Isn't the competition in like two weeks?" Blaine said, genuinely surprised. He had almost reached the rehearsal room, so he stopped, not wanting to continue the conversation anywhere near the rest of the Warblers.

"Yeah, I know… we always manage to pull it out in the end, I'm really not that worried," Kurt replied flippantly. "Hey, you still haven't had a chance to come see a rehearsal, why don't you come by this week? Like Friday?"

"Um…." Blaine stalled, spying Thad heading straight for the rehearsal room, and the spot where he was standing. Nowhere to hide, and Thad was already within hearing distance. A distinct look of disapproval was already evident on his face as he glanced at his watch pointedly.

"This week," repeated Blaine a little louder. "Uh-huh… Friday? Glee rehearsal AT MCKINLEY on Friday, great. 3pm. I'll see you there. Ok. Bye." Blaine hung up hurriedly before Thad say a word.

"Friday?" offered Blaine weakly.

* * *

><p>Blaine let out a low whistle as Kurt pushed open the doors to the auditorium. For a public school, the facility was pretty impressive.<p>

"I know, right? A lot of Cheerios money went into this auditorium, but its ours now," Kurt said, with more than a little pride. They headed down the aisle, Blaine pausing at the railing. Other members of the Glee club were already onstage, the guys all dressed similar to Kurt in grey slacks, vests, and white shirts. The girls were in fitted pants and short raincoats. An Asian kid had an umbrella and was twirling it effortlessly, sliding and turning across what looked like a giant slip-and-slide-like tarp.

"I'll just… hang out here," Blaine said, moving to sit about halfway back. No use in being recognizable to more people at McKinley, he decided.

Kurt had other ideas. "Don't be ridiculous, I want to introduce you to Mr. Schuster," Kurt said, pulling him towards the stage. Blaine followed reluctantly; doing a double take when he realized the tarp was filled with a low layer of water. Before he could ask, Kurt had dragged him over to a man also dressed like Kurt.

"Mr. Schue? This is Blaine Anderson, the person I mentioned who was coming to watch us," Kurt said, presenting Blaine. "Mr. Schue is our director."

The man smiled and held out a hand out, which Blaine took and shook. "Its nice to meet you Blaine. Kurt tells me you're thinking of enrolling at McKinley."

"Uh, yes, sir. My family is new here, my parents are deciding between private and public school," Blaine summarized quickly. This was beginning to get uncomfortable. Lying to Kurt was bad enough.

"Well, if you do decide on McKinley, I hope you'll join us here in glee club," Mr. Schuster said warmly. "I don't usually perform with the students, but I hope you like the number we've put together."

"I'm sure I will, thank you for letting me observe," Blaine said politely. Mr. Schuster patted him on the shoulder and went to go help a blonde woman with an armful of umbrellas.

Kurt laughed as soon as his teacher was out of earshot. "You're so formal," he chuckled. "Oh, ok, now I'm going to get you out of here before Rachel comes and interrogates you." Sure enough, a brunette was eyeing them from the opposite side of the stage warily. Blaine thankfully followed Kurt back down the stairs and headed up to the seat he had tried to take earlier.

"Enjoy the show!" Kurt called over his shoulder with a grin, hopping back up the stairs to rejoin the other glee club members. A shorter black girl went up to Kurt immediately, and he put an arm around her, smiling as they talked. He saw the girl glance over at where he was seated, then lean in to Kurt to speak closer to his ear. Blaine watched them intently but couldn't really see Kurt's reaction since he was facing upstage.

"Alright guys, lets go from the top," called Mr. Schuster, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. The kids spread out in loose lines, the house lights going down. Blaine gripped his iPhone lightly in his hand, finger hovering over the Voice Memo app's record button. Glancing up, he saw Kurt looking at him, a small smile creeping onto his face as they made eye contact. Without looking down, Blaine hit the top button instead, turning the phone back off and sliding it back into his pocket.

The lights on stage dimmed and shifted as the track started. Blaine craned his neck around, but didn't see anyone else in the theatre. How the heck did they manage this kind of production value on a public school budget?

The blonde woman crossed downstage and started singing lead, and hold on, was that a RAIN CURTAIN? Blaine was sure his jaw had dropped a little, this was just insane. Water was splashing in large quantities as the New Directions danced, the high performance energy level undeniable, even if the group's vocals weren't as prominent. His eyes sought out Kurt as Mr. Schuster led the boys downstage with the _Singing in the Rain_ melody. His brain was a little on overload trying to process the musical possibilities that _combining_ songs offered, the pure spectacle of what he was watching… and Kurt. Everything else faded into the background as he watched Kurt sing and twirl around his umbrella, looking happy and confident and so different from the boy he had first seen in the hallway that first day. He glowed when he performed.

Blaine could feel the smile spreading over his face. He could recognize that feeling of joy, the high you could get from singing, doing what you loved. It had ended up being his downfall in the pre-Dalton days, but also the thing that had made it so easy to slide into a new life at Dalton. His audition for the Warblers had been the most nerve-wracking day of his life, but in the end so worth it. He loved the guys, the easy camaraderie, even the strange hero worship he experienced from a good portion of the student body as the regular soloist.

For the thousandth time he marveled at how Kurt was able to hang on to that joy and still suffer through the abuse. He found himself wanting desperately to do something, anything, to keep that smile on Kurt's face. He knew instinctually that in order for him to stay in Kurt's life, he would have to tell him the truth. The thought made him nervous, but a new resolution had formed, it would be worth it.

As the group hit their final pose and the last notes faded away, Blaine immediately raised his hands and started clapping. He slowed and turned red as every face turned toward him with varying looks of surprise and interest.

"Friend of mine," Kurt called out in explanation from stage right. The stage lighting started to fade to work lights and the house lights came back up. The majority of the group headed toward the pile of towels in the wings, Kurt just grabbed one off the top and headed for Blaine.

"So, what did you think?" Kurt asked eagerly, swiping the towel across his arms and face.

"That was pretty amazing," Blaine said honestly. "I don't understand how you guys have all…. this," he said, waving his hand vaguely at the stage. "I mean, come on, a rain curtain?"

"A/V club," Kurt replied, as if that clarified everything. Before Blaine could continue his questioning, two of the glee girls crossed over to the boys.

"Blaine, this is Mercedes and Rachel—"

"Berry," the brunette interjected, studying him. "I assume you have all necessary background information on him, Kurt?"

Blaine swallowed while Kurt looked appalled. "Rachel," he hissed. "Don't be rude."

"I'm Mercedes," the other girl said in a much friendlier tone. "Its nice to meet you. Kurt may have mentioned you once or twice." She glanced at Kurt and he blushed a little bit.

"OKAY… " Kurt steered Blaine away as Mercedes smacked Rachel in the arm, whispering angrily as she practically shoved Rachel back up the stairs.

"Sorry about that… Rachel has trust issues, to say the least. Last year Vocal Adrenaline sent their lead singer to infiltrate us and he ended up breaking Rachel's heart," Kurt explained off-handedly. "She thinks everyone is out to sabotage us."

Blaine's heart dropped. "That's… awful," he managed. Kurt was peeling off wet shoes and socks, and the silence felt leaden.

_Don't get mad but…_

_Funny you should mention…_

_I don't know how to say this but…_

"Lima Bean?" Blaine blurted out instead.

"Sure," Kurt said brightly. "We have another half hour in the period, but I think we're pretty much done. Everyone's all wet."

"I'll wait for you," Blaine offered.

"No, it's ok, you go on ahead, I'll meet you there," Kurt said, waving him off.

Blaine sighed as Kurt went up the stairs and disappeared after his classmates backstage.. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he made his way back up the aisle to the doors of the auditorium. School had ended for the day and the hallways were mostly empty, a few small clumps of students were peppered along the lockers, talking and laughing.

A hand came out of nowhere and Blaine found himself slammed against the nearest locker. Karofsky's hand gripped his shirt, and the metal dug painfully into his back as he stared wide-eyed at Karofsky in shock.

"I warned Hummel, and I'm warning you… keep your mouth shut," he gritted out, the other hand clenched in a fist.

Hearing Kurt's name snapped him out of his freeze. "Fine," Blaine spat. "But you keep your hands OFF HIM."

Karofsky glared at him for a moment, then took a step back, hand still holding the fabric of Blaine's shirt. He shoved Blaine away hard, letting him smack back into the locker again before turning and walking away.

Blaine let the air he didn't realize he had been holding whoosh out of his lungs, head falling back against the locker. His hands clenched and unclenched uselessly into fists as the adrenaline rush began to fade from his system. Glancing around, he wasn't surprised to see that no one had batted an eye, or was even looking in his direction.

"Blaine?"

Blaine hurriedly pushed away from the locker, tugging at the hem of his shirt. Kurt was standing a few feet away, a puzzled expression on his face. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just figured I'd wait. In case you were done right away," Blaine said, forcing a smile. Reaching in his pocket, he tugged out his car keys. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: These chapters just keep getting longer and longer… my second favorite scene is in this chapter, based off of a specific YT vid that I'll say at the end if you'd like to enhance your reading experience.

And now that this one is done, I'm off to Rockefeller to meet up with some other crazy Gleeks to hopefully see Darren and the Warblers in the AM... I'll be blogging over at my tumblr! And prob finishing up the next chapter to post tomorrow :)

* * *

><p><strong>Mirrored Image<strong>

Chapter 5

Blaine's phone buzzed, and he had very little doubt who was texting him. The majority of the other Warblers were clustered around the piano, learning a new harmony to a song that of course, he was singing lead on. He slipped his phone out of his pocket as discretely as he could to glance at it. All it said was "OMG".

Blaine leaned back a little bit on the couch and glanced up at the front of the room to see if anyone was paying attention. "What?" he typed quickly.

He waited impatiently for a moment, then the buzz finally came.

"DAD PROPOSED TO CAROLE! THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED!"

* * *

><p>Kurt plunked an enormous binder on the table, nearly overturning Blaine's coffee cup. "They are really not giving me enough time but luckily I had the perfect fall wedding template to start with…"<p>

Blaine suppressed a smile as he hung on to his rescued coffee. Kurt pulled out a notepad that was already covered in scribbles and post-its, now pretty much taking up the entire surface of the café table. Half an hour passed as Kurt clipped and unclipped swatches, pictures, and patterns, Blaine nodding and offering opinions when asked.

Finally, Kurt sat back and tossed his pencil down. "I think I'm ready," he said seriously.

"For?"

"Carole and I are having our meeting tonight to go over the outline, so she can tweak any details. If we can get this finalized tonight, I can start making the calls tomorrow," Kurt said, regarding the organized mess. "And thank you for meeting me. I try to use Finn as a sounding board for any of this and his eyes glaze over."

"Of course," Blaine replied immediately. "It looks like you definitely have a talent for event planning." He took a sip of his coffee.

Kurt reached out and began gathering up the binder and its contents, neatly placing papers into their proper slots and plastic sleeves. He was quiet for a moment as he finished tidying and closing the book, glancing back up at Blaine. Finally he slid a hand into the back pocket and pulled out a heavy cream-colored envelope, sliding it across the tabletop to Blaine.

"Carole said I could bring someone, I mean, bring a friend, you know, if I wanted… " Kurt was blushing furiously.

Blaine picked up the envelope, his name neatly lettered on the outside. "Wow…"

"I mean, you don't have to come, I mean, we haven't known each other that long…." Kurt stammered.

"I'd love to," Blaine said, cutting him off.

"Good," Kurt said, his voice pitched a little high. He held Blaine's gaze for a moment before busying himself jamming the binder back into his bag. "Well, off to meet with the bride." He stood up.

"Good luck," Blaine said with a grin.

"Thanks." Kurt lingered for a moment. "Bye." He turned and scurried for the door.

Blaine waited until the door had shut behind Kurt before looking back down at the envelope in his hand, his grin going even wider.

* * *

><p>Blaine checked his reflection in the mirror for probably about the fifteenth time. His black suit was spotless, the chrome colored tie contrasting perfectly against the crisp white of the dress shirt beneath it.<p>

A knock came at his door. Tugging on the bottom of his jacket to straighten invisible wrinkles, he called a "come in" carelessly over his shoulder.

"Hey, do you have that—woah," said a surprised Wes, taking in Blaine's outfit. He raised an eyebrow. "You're sporting the McKinley hair. I suppose this has something to do with a certain member of New Directions?"

Blaine flushed. "Kurt invited me to his dad's wedding."

"And you're actually going?" Wes asked, sitting in Blaine's desk chair.

"Of course I am. New Directions is performing," Blaine replied, grabbing his keys and wallet off the desk.

"Blaine… You can't pretend this is about the Warblers anymore. We shouldn't have asked you do this in the first place."

Blaine stopped in the doorway, leaning heavily against the doorframe. "I shouldn't have agreed. Or let you guys make me agree," throwing a small glare at Wes, who did indeed look apologetic. "But Kurt is going through a lot right now, he needs a friend."

"Just a friend?" Wes asked pointedly.

Blaine looked away and didn't respond.

Wes sighed. "Blaine, sooner or later he's going to find out why you went to McKinley. If you're serious about Kurt, you need to tell him the truth."

"I know," Blaine said miserably. "I just need to find the right time."

Wes stood up. "As long as you do." He started to leave, then paused. "I'm not sure yet if we should really apologize for sending you in the first place, or be saying you're welcome."

Blaine cracked a small smile. "I'll let you know how the story turns out."

* * *

><p>Blaine stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking around for any familiar face, since Kurt was probably up front with his family. Thankfully a hand slipped into his elbow as Mercedes smiled up at him. "You look a little lost."<p>

"Thank you," Blaine breathed in relief, letting himself be pulled along to sit with the other members of the New Directions, at the table directly next to the wedding party. Kurt caught his eye and grinned.

He found himself between Mercedes and Tina, who introduced herself and her boyfriend Mike. For the most part conversation was light, Blaine keeping mostly to himself, though Mercedes and Tina both included him in small talk. He didn't miss the girls' side glances, they all obviously knew he was present for a second time as Kurt's guest of sorts.

When Finn got up to speak, everyone turned their chairs to face him, pushing away from the table slightly. He looked at Mercedes questioningly, and she winked. Turning back to face the dance floor, Blaine listened as Finn began his speech. Blaine's eyes flicked back and forth between Finn and Kurt, feeling a tightness in his own throat as he watched Kurt's eyes grow red and more than a little watery.

His own eyes were watering up a little as the New Directions stood and joined Finn onstage, laughing a little at Kurt's expression. Despite his protests, Finn pulled Kurt up to dance, still singing wholeheartedly.

It wasn't long before the dance expanded and Mercedes pulled him up from his seat. She lifted an eyebrow, impressed, as he began leading. He spun her out and back in and she laughed. Glancing over his shoulder, she winked at him before pulling him into a clumsy turn and releasing him, putting him slightly off-balance. He stumbled for a moment, turning and finding himself face to face with Kurt.

Kurt's face was flushed, and his smile turned a little uncertain as they came face to face, an expression Blaine was sure he mirrored. Blaine swallowed nervously, and then held out his hand hopefully. Kurt took it and stepped in towards him, and Blaine once again took the lead.

"Someone knows how to dance," Kurt said softly, matching every step. Behind his shoulder, Blaine saw both Tina and Mercedes give him ridiculous grins and thumbs up. Blaine flushed.

As the song drew to a close, Blaine released Kurt to the embraces of his family and friends, pulling back towards the table. He wasn't left alone very much over the course of the evening, as the girls kept pulling him up to join in the dance circles, which usually revolved around Mike and Brittany letting loose while everyone cheered them on. Blaine more often than not found himself next to Kurt, which, considering the looks the Glee girls were giving him, was not really accidental.

The crowd began to thin out as it got later, the newlyweds surrounded by well-wishers as guests gave them their final congratulations before departing for the evening. Some of the New Directions had said their farewells, while Rachel, Tina, and Kurt had crowded up onto the stage by the piano, laughing and singing along as Tina played through a random collection of pop and showtunes. Puck, Finn, and Mike lounged at the table chatting lazily with Artie. Blaine was content to sit and half-listen to the guy talk, while mostly focused on the group on stage. Rachel and Kurt's voices harmonized with an easy familiarity, Kurt's high tenor matching Rachel's range clear as a bell as they sang through bits and pieces of Wicked.

Finally after a prompting from Mike, Tina relinquished her accompanist duties and the pair left arm in arm after finals hugs to both Kurt and Finn. Blaine stood up and offered his chair to Rachel, leaving her to sit next to Finn as he went over to the stage.

Kurt was sitting at the piano bench, long fingers of one hand drifting over the keys as he hummed the melody from "For Good."

"Your voice is amazing," Blaine said, leaning into the curve of the piano.

Kurt flushed a little, pleased at the compliment. "Thanks. You know I still haven't gotten to hear you sing. Or were you just making it up?" he teased.

Blaine swallowed at the choice of phrasing, feeling that all-too familiar knot in his stomach every time he was reminded of what he was keeping hidden from Kurt. Pushing it down, he crossed over to the bench and muttered a soft "scoot over."

He could feel Kurt's gaze on him as he moved over to make room for Blaine on the bench. Rubbing his suddenly clammy hands on his pants, Blaine lifted his hands to the keys, focusing on the familiar weight and resistance of the bars underneath his fingers. He drifted through a vague melody before setting into his actual selection.

"_You think I'm pretty without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong_

_You know you get me when I let my walls come down, down…"_

He hadn't really considered the lyrics before picking the song, choosing it more because it was all the Warblers had been rehearsing the previous week, and he was tired of the singing the same version over and over that echoed the original so closely. At this point he could play it forwards and backwards in his sleep. But as the words fell from his mouth, his entire face grew warm as he realized what he was basically singing straight to the boy sitting right next to him.

"_You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream, the way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep, lets run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back…_

_My heart stops when you look at me, just one touch, now baby I believe  
><em>

_This is real, so take a chance, and don't ever look back, don't ever look back…"_

Never one to hold back on a performance, he closed his eyes and channeled all the nervous energy buzzing in his head into his improvised accompaniment, letting his voice drift up and around the actual notes of the song in his own version of the melody, doing his best to keep his voice steady and consistent as he sang about "skin tight jeans" repeatedly, ears on fire. It wasn't until he was letting the last few notes fade away on just the sustain pedal that he realized that the hall had fallen quiet, its last few occupant's attentions focused squarely on him.

His cheeks burning, he risked a glance over at Kurt. Kurt stared back at him, mouth open in a small O of surprise. Eyes locked on Kurt, Blaine felt the rush of heat wash over himself from head to toe.

Rachel appeared at his other shoulder, her voice breaking through his haze and making him jump. "Blaine. As the captain of the New Directions, I feel very safe to say that should you attend McKinley, we would be happy to offer you a place in our glee club." She stared at Blaine intently, and he could already see her mind working out song selections and arrangements before even waiting for a response.

"I—uh, I mean, my parents, still haven't decided where to enroll me yet… " Blaine's voice drifted off awkwardly.

Thankfully Finn appeared at that moment with an offer to drive Rachel home. She gave him one more look before taking Finn's hand and heading back to their table for their things.

"Its getting late," Blaine said, standing. "I should be heading home too."

"I'll walk you out."

There was a definite hum of _something_ in the air that had not been there before, even when they had danced. Blaine could feel it, but didn't know what to actually _do. _Kurt was silent as they walked back toward the exit.

_Teenage Dream, Blaine? Really? Subtle…_ Mentally he added "inappropriate song choices" to the lengthy list of ways he had screwed all of this up.

Kurt was finally the one to speak as they exited the doors. "I know you didn't gotten the best first impression of McKinley, but hopefully we changed your mind a little tonight. And I know its not entirely your decision anyway, but… I'd be lying if I didn't say I hope you choose us."

Blaine stared at Kurt, the ache in his chest making it difficult to breathe. Kurt looked nervous, shifting he weight from one foot to the other.

"I wish it were as easy as choosing you," Blaine replied softly, putting the emphasis on the last word. His breath felt loud in his own ears, as his mind strung phrases together and rejected them. He couldn't bring himself to potentially ruin what had been near-perfect night for Kurt… couldn't bring himself to ruin everything. But he had ruined it from the start, hadn't he?

They stood awkwardly in that too-close position, tension palpable in the air. _This moment right here_, _this should be our first kiss_. Blaine wanted it so badly, it was physically painful to force himself to take a step back.

"I have to go," he whispered. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Disappointment flickered briefly over Kurt's face before a subdued smile took its place. "I'm glad you were here."

Impulsively, Blaine took a step back toward Kurt, then another, and quickly pressed his lips to Kurt's cheek. He heard the quiet intake of breath right at his ear, the feeling of being so close to Kurt sending a shiver through his body.

He couldn't bring himself to meet Kurt's eyes, and all but fled back to his car, letting out a shaky breath as he turned the key in the ignition. He glanced up as he shifted the car into drive, and saw Kurt still standing in the same place. His hand lifted in a small wave as he caught Blaine's gaze, and Blaine half-smiled in response as he pulled away.

He didn't relax until he hit the first red light. Dropping his hands off the steering wheel, he let his head fall back against the headrest with a thunk.

_Shit._

* * *

><p>AN #2: DON'T KILL ME. I promise I love Kurt and Blaine and Klaine. Everyone's been so worried in the reviews… hang in there.<p>

And if you hadn't already guessed, the performance I referenced in first AN is Darren's performance at the Oxygen Upfronts, which is my FAVORITE of him doing Teenage Dream. Look it up, cause FFnet won't let me post links.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: I'm glad this has been mostly written since Chapter 2 because between the Livestream, the Today Show, SOWK leaking… my brain is on OVERLOAD.

Anyways, there's a small section in italics, because it was written before I decided that this was mainly going to be Blaine POV. But I liked that little bit of Kurt POV, so left it in.

This is it, DON'T HURT ME. But if you really want to torture yourself, read it and then watch SOWK again. I DARE YOU.

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><p><strong>Mirrored Image<strong>

Chapter 6

Blaine stared at his phone's home screen until it dimmed and blacked out. He clicked the button and slid his finger across the bottom to unlock it and stared at it again until the glow faded before repeating the process all over again.

He desperately wanted to see Kurt, to talk to him, just explain everything. He couldn't shake the image of Kurt's face out of his head, the look in his eyes after his ill-thought-out serenade, the way they stared at each other in the parking lot. He was certain enough that what he was feeling wasn't one-sided and the thought of being able to actually BE with Kurt… it seemed almost too good to be true. And maybe it would be, but Blaine knew he was impulsive to a fault, and now that he had the beginnings of a speech prepared in his head, he couldn't think about anything else. And honestly, if he thought any longer about it, he might actually lose the nerve to follow through with the plan.

Finally he typed out a message. "Lunch? My treat."

It was a few agonizingly long minutes (3 in reality) before a response came. "Of course."

"Pick you up at 12:30. "

Blaine pocketed his phone with a smile, mentally preparing a convincing story about a migraine to get himself out of art history that afternoon…

* * *

><p>"<em>I need a minute," Kurt whispered, standing up and pushing his way out of the room. He dimly heard his father calling his name behind him, but he didn't stop. His breath hitched in his throat, tightening and constricting as he struggled to hold back the sob threatening to escape. Kurt walked straight toward and through the front doors to McKinley, the trees blurring in his vision as his eyes begin to well up. Despite the sun shining warm on his skin, the fresh air filling his lungs, he felt utterly and completely trapped, a cornered animal desperately looking for an escape. <em>

_Kurt's phone buzzed in his pocket. Swiping angrily at his eyes, he pulled it out and saw the message from Blaine. "On my way."_

_He swiped his thumb across the screen and shakily started to text back, then changed his mind. Scrolling up, he instead hit the "call back" option. _

* * *

><p>Blaine hummed idly along to the radio as he drove, watching the now familiar exits go by as he neared Lima. He realized he was still humming the tune from "Just the Way You Are" and smiled to himself. He was going to fix this. He was going to tell Kurt everything, convince him that Blaine was just an idiot who made a huge mistake and happened to have fallen completely head over heels for him. Even though he went to Dalton. And was a Warbler. And a bad spy… Hm. This speech needed some tweaking…<p>

His phone buzzed with an incoming call. Reaching over, Blaine hit the speaker answer button. "Hello?"

"Blaine?"

Immediately he could tell something was wrong. "Kurt, what happened? Are you ok?"

There was silence for a moment. "I-I don't think I can have lunch today, I'm sorry if you're already nearby."

"Kurt, what's wrong? I'm almost at the school, can't you wait just a few minutes?" Blaine sped up a little.

There was silence for a moment before Kurt replied shakily. "Yeah, ok. I'm out front."

"Stay right there, I'll be there in five minutes." The call cut off from Kurt's end, and Blaine glanced impatiently at his rearview mirror, scanning for any sign of highway patrol before increasing the pressure on the gas a little more.

Blaine's mind raced as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. Kurt had sounded so defeated. It had to be something to do with Karofsky, it had to. His expulsion had lifted Kurt's spirits immensely, even though in the back of his mind Blaine was thinking to himself that it had actually happened a little too easily. The miles dragged by, until finally he was exiting in Lima. After muttering profanities at every red light he hit, Blaine finally pulled into the McKinley parking lot. Kurt stood talking with his father and stepmother, all three looking somber.

Blaine parked illegally as far out of the regular flow of traffic as he could and practically jumped out of the car. He jogged over to where the trio stood, calling out Kurt's name.

Kurt turned and Blaine's heart clenched. With Kurt's fair complexion, it was obvious that he had been crying, and Blaine immediately pulled him into a hug. Kurt held on to him tightly, drawing shaky breaths.

Carole quietly took Burt's hand and started pulling him away, smiling gently at Blaine. Burt looked tired, and the two began conversing quietly as they went over to stand by Burt's truck, glancing back at Kurt every once in awhile.

"Kurt," Blaine said softly into his shoulder. "You're scaring me a little. What's wrong?"

Kurt pulled back, trying to discreetly wipe at his eyes. "He's coming back."

"What?" Blaine hissed angrily.

"His dad appealed to the school board, and they said since there were no witnesses, they're letting him off with a warning. He's coming back tomorrow." Kurt shrugged helplessly. "I'm stuck. It's going to start all over again… I just—I can't… "

"Dalton," Blaine whispered, his heart hammering. "Come with me to Dalton."

Kurt's face twisted in confusion. "You said… you said you hadn't decided." He looked down at his hands, worrying at the edge of his sweater. "I can't be sad about you not choosing McKinley, I wouldn't want you to go through what I have." He brought his head back up to meet Blaine's eyes. "I want you to be safe."

"I want YOU to be safe," Blaine responded immediately. Panic rose in Blaine's chest, and he closed his eyes briefly, trying desperately to organize his thoughts. "I need to tell you something," he said finally. "And I'm begging you not to hate me for it. Because I care about you, so much."

"I could never hate you," Kurt said softly, frowning.

Blaine's confidence was rapidly dwindling, fear settling in his stomach. "I never meant to let this go on so long, but I was so afraid of losing you." He swallowed nervously. "I lied to you, Kurt. I didn't just move here, and I wasn't here looking to transfer. I've been attending Dalton for over a year."

Kurt took a small step back. "I don't understand."

"It was a stupid idea, I shouldn't have gone along with it. The Warblers sent me to find out about New Directions—I swear, I never meant to hurt you—" Blaine stepped closer, reaching for Kurt's hand.

Kurt yanked his hand away, an angry flush spreading over his face. "I can't believe you, all this time, you just made all of it up?"

"No! I mean sort of, but—look I know what Vocal Adrenaline did to Rachel, I didn't want you to think I would ever do that. That's why I've been so afraid to tell you the truth!" Kurt turned away, and Blaine felt his heart break a little. "I was supposed to come, watch you guys sing, take a few notes, and leave. And then I met you."

"Please, don't. I don't think I can take any more right now," Kurt turned to face him. They stared at each other. "I have to go," Kurt whispered, and started off toward his parents, who had stopped their own conversation and were now watching the two boys warily.

"Please don't walk away," Blaine said desperately. "I meant everything, Kurt. Please believe me. Everything I told you about my past is true, that's why I transferred to Dalton in the first place. You could be safe there, too. I know it's expensive, but I can help you find a way. Scholarships, alumni sponsors—"

"I have to go," Kurt repeated shakily, and crossed to his dad's truck, silently opening the passenger door and climbing into the backseat. Carole looked at Blaine for a moment before getting in the car as well.

Blaine stood rooted to the spot until long after the car had driven out of sight.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note:

It's been awhile, and for that I sincerely apologize… but I hope that almost 3000 words makes up for it. This has become the longest thing I've ever written, which is super crazy and exciting for me.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you like it :)

**Mirrored Image**

Chapter 7

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><p>"Blaine?"<p>

Blaine ignored Wes as he walked quickly toward his room, wanting nothing more than to get into the quiet solace of his room and wallow. Shakily unlocking his door, he finally got inside, throwing his keys on his desk. He flung the door behind him to close it, but it bounced off Wes' hand as the other Warbler followed him in, pausing cautiously at the doorway. "Hey…."

Blaine didn't respond, just kicked off his shoes and collapsed on his back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Wes slipped all the way into the room, leaving the door open a crack behind him. "I'm going to take a guess that things didn't go well at McKinley?"

Blaine let out a snort. "That's putting it lightly. I blew it."

"What did he say?"

Kurt's hurt expression flashed in his memory, and Blaine winced. "He was really mad that I'd been lying… but I think he was also upset about the bullying problem he's having at McKinley. My timing was pretty bad."

"But you told him you were into him, right?" Wes prodded.

"Not… specifically, but he has to know," Blaine replied, sitting up on his elbows, feeling less certain by the minute. He tried to replay the conversation in his head, but all he kept remembering was how he felt when Kurt walked away. "Problem is the lead singer from Vocal Adrenaline played one of their girls last year to mess with them on purpose before competition. Of course he's going to have a hard time believing that I would never do that."

Wes thought for a minute. "It seems like there's a lot for him to process right now… maybe you need to talk to him and be really clear about your feelings."

"I tried… he didn't really give me a chance."

"Give him a day before you try again," suggested Wes. "And don't obsess about it too much. I don't think you should call this one a loss just yet."

Blaine looked at him skeptically. "How do you know?"

Wes shrugged. "I don't… just a feeling."

"For my own sanity, I'm going to believe you," Blaine said, cracking a reluctant smile. "And thanks."

"No problem." Wes said, leaving Blaine to ponder his next course of action.

* * *

><p>Over the next few days, Blaine made several attempts to contact Kurt, none of which garnered a response. He did his best not to sound desperate in his first few texts, but when he progressed to voicemails, he knew he had started to sound a little like he was begging.<p>

"Its me again… I know I sound like a broken record, but I really am sorry, I really want the chance to talk, explain everything… please don't shut me out, I'm worried about you. Please call me…" Blaine trailed off, and finally hung up with a sigh.

"No luck?" Wes said quietly. Blaine shook his head, pocketing his phone.

"Well, he's going to be at Regionals, right? So no matter what, you're going to get to see him in two days," Wes offered.

"Yeah…" Blaine supposed once he saw Kurt in person, it would be kind of hard for Kurt to avoid him… but the cold shoulder in person was bound to be worse that the virtual one.

* * *

><p>"I think that's him," David whispered, pointing at the slender boy in all black with a maroon tie. Wes looked over the rest of the group in similar outfits, immediately ruling out the one in the wheelchair and the one with a mohawk. "Yeah, I think you're right."<p>

"Do you want to go or should I?" David asked.

"No, I'll do it. This whole stupid thing was my idea," grumbled Wes. "And I really can't handle another day of Blaine walking around looking so crushed."

David patted him on the back. "Good luck."

Wes sighed and started toward the group, focused on Kurt, who was facing away from him. His path was immediately blocked a girl in a flowy white and black dress.

"Can I help you?" she said, the question sounding more like a challenge than a genuine offer of assistance.

Wes swallowed. His uniform was a dead giveaway, and from the looks he was getting from the people facing him, it seemed like all of New Directions knew exactly what had happened between Kurt and Blaine. Well, what it looked like at least, which was not too good.

"My name is Wes, I go to Dalton with Blaine…" his voice trailed off in the face of her glare. She was seriously intimidating.

"Mercedes. Kurt is my best friend. And I don't take kindly to anyone playing him like your buddy over there did."

"Its really not what it looks like," Wes stammered. "I mean, it is, Blaine was there to spy on you, but that was my stupid idea, not his, we sort of forced him into it."

Mercedes' ire seemed to have lessened marginally, but she continued to stare Wes down, arms crossed, waiting for him to finish.

"Look, Blaine is one of MY best friends, and I have never seen him look like this. He's a mess, and I know it's because of how he feels about Kurt. Kurt won't talk to him…" He stopped mid-sentence as the person in question came up beside Mercedes.

"Its ok, Mercedes," Kurt said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Mercedes gave Wes one last glare before retreating back to the group, all of whom had pretty much only been pretending not to pay attention to the Warbler's conversation.

"I'm Wes."

"Kurt," he replied shortly, arms crossed.

"I owe you an apology," Wes started. "Sending Blaine to spy on you guys was stupid, not to mention unsportsmanlike, and for that we apologize. To his credit, Blaine didn't really tell us anything about your group, and to be honest, all he kept talking about was one person that he had met."

Kurt's expression tightened, but he remained silent. Wes shifted uncomfortably.

"That's our formal apology, but I hope you allow Blaine the chance to speak, I know there are… things he wants to say," Wes said.

"Is he here?" Kurt asked quietly.

"Yeah," Wes said. "Do you want…" he waved his arm vaguely back towards' the Warblers' assigned green room.

Kurt turned to look back at the New Directions, who all hastily returned to their own conversations. "I'll be back, guys." Mercedes looked like she wanted to protest. "Really, its ok," Kurt said to her, turning to follow Wes.

Blaine sat, fingers drumming on the armrest of the chair restlessly. Most of the other Warblers were out wandering around the venue and grabbing snacks, even Wes and David had left him alone with his thoughts. He really didn't want to go onstage without at least having tried to talk to Kurt, but he also didn't want to have to perform right after getting his heart broken if Kurt rejected him. The clock continued to tick its way closer and closer to the beginning of the competition, and Blaine could see his window of opportunity narrowing.

"This is ridiculous," Blaine muttered, coming to a decision. He had to at least try.

The second he stood up, the door opened and there he was, Wes hovering behind him.

"Kurt," Blaine stammered. Wes glanced around the room, and seeing it was empty, backed out and closed the door, leaving the pair to stand in tense silence.

"I am so sorry, Kurt," Blaine blurted out, taking a step towards Kurt.

"I know," Kurt said, cautiously coming closer, his eyes flickering over the Dalton uniform. "And I want to believe you. Maybe too much."

"What do you mean?"

"I like you, Blaine. But that hasn't… always gone well for me. It's a lot easier to believe that this… you… is just too good to be true."

Blaine felt hope surge with Kurt's admission of his feelings. "It was real," Blaine said insistently, resisting the urge to reach out for Kurt's hand. "It IS real. I wanted…" Blaine blushed furiously. "I wanted to kiss you at the wedding, but I couldn't do that without you knowing the truth."

"I know now," Kurt said quietly, waiting.

Blaine stared back at him for a moment, confused. Kurt's eyes flickered down for a split second to Blaine's lips, and suddenly the light bulb clicked on. _Oh._

The hum in the air was back, along with a delicious tingle in his fingertips, and this time there was nothing stopping Blaine from reaching out a hand to slide up and grip lightly at the back of Kurt's neck, pulling him down, leaning forward and up to meet him halfway.

The initial press of their lips was tentative, and Blaine felt Kurt's hands ghost up under his blazer to rest lightly on his waist, his palms warm through the material of his dress shirt. Encouraged, Blaine tightened his grip, parting his lips slightly as they moved against Kurt's. Kurt melted into the kiss, angling his head and pulling Blaine closer in response. The kiss deepened and Blaine felt lightheaded, everything but the sensation of Kurt's mouth moving against his fading away.

A chime sounded over the intercom, and a voice saying something about how much time was left before the competition was scheduled to begin. The words were fuzzy in Blaine's ears, his focus now on the telltale flush that had spread over Kurt's face as they parted. He didn't bring his hand down, instead lightly brushing his thumb over the curve of Kurt's cheek. Kurt held Blaine's gaze, a shy smile creeping up at the corners of his mouth.

A knock sounded at the door, and Wes poked his head in. "I've held them off as long as I could, but we have to do warm-ups, Blaine." He glanced back over his shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure the New Directions are going to bodily remove me from this door if Kurt doesn't come out soon." He disappeared again, leaving the door open a crack.

"I should go," Kurt said as he dropped his hands, still smiling.

"Yeah…" Neither boy moved for a moment, and they both finally laughed, breaking the tension.

"I'll see you after," Kurt said, backing up a step before turning to head for the door.

Blaine followed him quickly, impulsively grabbing Kurt's hand and pulling him in one more time. Kurt made a surprised noise as their lips collided, but responded eagerly, his hands coming up to grip the lapels of Blaine's blazer. The kiss lacked the delicate hesitation of their first, but they more than made up for it in enthusiasm. Blaine felt himself out of breath when Kurt pulled away, grinning.

"Good luck?" Blaine offered weakly.

"You too," Kurt said, opening the door further and slipping past an uncomfortable looking Wes.

"You might want to…" Wes waved his hand vaguely at Blaine. "Before everyone else comes in."

Blaine frowned, then glanced in one of the mirrors. His jacket was askew, his shirt was coming untucked, and his hair… Blaine hurriedly tried to put it back in a somewhat presentable form as the other Warblers filed in. Most of them took no notice, but he reddened as David gave him a cheeky thumbs up.

* * *

><p>The stage brightened as the curtain rose, and Blaine kept his eyes focused downward as he heard the other Warblers begin the backing intro. He had no doubt whatsoever that he was still wearing a dopey smile as began to sing, finally raising his head on the second phrase. He always managed to tap into some hidden resource of energy when he sang, but this time he was fueled purely on the high he was still feeling from the tingle that remained on his lips.<p>

As his eyes adjusted to the stage lighting, he spared a few searching looks into the audience, finally locating where the New Directions sat clustered together. Rachel still looked incredibly annoyed, and Mercedes was glancing bemused at Kurt, who was looking directly at him, a smile still playing around his lips.

For a second time, Blaine found himself singing directly to Kurt.

_I can be myself now finally_

_In fact there's nothing I can't be_

_I want the world to see you be with me._

* * *

><p>Blaine found their roles reversed when New Directions took the stage, unable to keep the smile off his face as Kurt danced and sang his way through both of their selections, locking eyes with Blaine at every possible opportunity.<p>

As the Warblers took their place in between the Hipsters and New Directions, Blaine edged closer to the stage left side of the Warblers, earning a curious glance from Jeff as he scooted by him… only to find himself almost shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Schuster, who was standing in the space between the Warblers and New Directions, blocking him from Kurt, who was directly on his left.

Blaine hastily took a step back out of Mr. Schuster's line of sight, narrowing his eyes slightly at Kurt, who was suppressing a snicker. Forcing his gaze straight forward, Blaine did his best to focus on the reading of the results.

When the tie was announced, both groups broke into smiles and clapped, hugging each other, and Blaine took the opportunity to duck even further away from Mr. Schuster, not wanting to have to explain himself quite yet. It was really the best outcome he could have hoped for, he felt a little torn between his loyalty to the Warblers and his desire to support Kurt. Of course, this meant that technically he and Kurt STILL were on opposing teams, but that could be a hurdle for another day.

For now, Blaine was trying to move in the crowd of blue blazers back toward the dressing rooms while keeping an eye on Kurt, who was surrounded by the New Directions. Kurt pulled back as they bottlenecked at the doorway to the back hallway, and Blaine slid over next to him, both boys letting their teammates filter through ahead of them. As they stood seemingly innocently off to the side letting others pass, Blaine moved his hand towards Kurts', brushing their fingers together. Kurt kept his face impassive, not looking at Blaine. A moment later, Blaine felt slim fingers twine into his, and Blaine fought to keep his face as neutral as Kurt.

They fell in behind the rest of the group, moving with the masse of people back toward their assigned dressing rooms. As they passed an open doorway, Blaine grabbed the opportunity to pull Kurt into what appeared to be some kind of storage room filled with unused lighting equipment. As soon as the door clicked closed behind him, Kurt's mouth descended on his, the kiss pressing him back against the door as Kurt crowded him against it. He wrapped his arms around Kurt, pulling them flush against each other.

When they finally paused for air, Kurt leaned his forehead against Blaine's, his breathing labored. "We should get back out there, they'll miss us…"

"I know…" Blaine reached out and straightened Kurt's collar and tie, smiling as Kurt did the same for him, laughing softly to himself.

"What?"

"Not used to this," Kurt replied, eyes still focused downward as he smoothed the lapel of Blaine's jacket.

"Me either," Blaine replied, slipping his hand into Kurt's again. "I'm almost afraid to ask… but what made you change your mind?"

Kurt thought for a moment, his thumb idly rubbing against Blaine's hand. "Last week at McKinley… it was too much, too fast. I couldn't deal with everything that was going on at school and try and figure this out at the same time. But I really missed you. I guess I just decided it was worth the risk."

"I'm glad you did," Blaine said. "Have you thought about what I said about Dalton?"

"Yes, a lot. But I don't think I can leave McKinley. I can't leave my friends. Competing with them, singing with them… I don't think I can give that up. They've really stepped up since the wedding, been really supportive of me, even when I was upset about… you." He waved off Blaine's attempt to interject. "I feel stronger now, with them, and now with you."

"As long as they're looking out for you," Blaine said reluctantly.

"You can tell them that yourself, since you're going to have to re-introduce yourself to the New Directions," Kurt said slyly, reaching around Blaine to open the door. "They weren't too happy to find out that you were actually our competition the whole time."

Blaine winced. "This is going to be really uncomfortable, isn't it?"

"Hey," Kurt said, "I'll put in a good word for you." He smiled reassuringly as they headed down the hallway toward the dressing rooms, not making any move to let go of Blaine's hand.

Blaine could see the varying looks of suspicion and surprise as they approached Kurt's friends. A few of the boys definitely looked intimidating, but Mercedes broke out into a knowing smile as she took in their joined hands. He glanced over at Kurt, who looked unapologetically happy.

He smiled. _Yup, so worth it_.

* * *

><p>AN Deux: Thank you so much for sticking with me to the end. I know I'm not the fastest writer, so thank you again for your patience.<p>

Until next time!

Meridith


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